2009 MIT Sloan MBA Waitlist with Jennifer Burke Barba

Hello. My name is Linda Abraham. I am the founder of Accepted.com and the moderator of today’s chat. First I want to welcome all applicants to the MIT Sloan Waitlist chat today, and I want to congratulate you for taking the time to learn more about Sloan. To make a sound decision and to get accepted, you need to know as much as you can about the schools you are applying to. I also want to welcome Sloan’s Jen Burke Barba, Associate Director and Waitlist Manager. Thanks for joining us today.

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:05:21 PM)
Linda, thanks for hosting. And thanks to everyone for logging in!

Linda Abraham (Apr 7, 2009 12:05:31 PM)
You're welcome Jen!

Pooya (Apr 7, 2009 12:05:43 PM)
G'day, and thank you for hosting this. I have a GMAT of 730 (both quant/verbal 80+%), but I am confident that I could get 760+ with a bit of studying. Would there be *any* value in retaking the test?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:06:24 PM)
Hi Pooya, congrats on a wonderful GMAT score. Please do not spend your time re-taking the test. A 730 is a VERY GOOD score, getting a 760 will not make a difference at this point.

teresa mr (Apr 7, 2009 12:06:26 PM)
Hi Jen. Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions. How many people are currently on the list and on average, how many are normally accepted into Sloan?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:07:40 PM)
Teresa, currently we have about 125 people on the WL. Many were just given a decision yesterday. And, we expect a good amount to drop off, given that they've accepted offers and decided to attend different programs. Our goal is to manage a WL of about 75. Every year it's different in terms of the number of people to be admitted of the WL. Last year we took about 25 people off the WL, but the year before, nobody.

Andrew M (Apr 7, 2009 12:08:18 PM)
Is there a deadline by which you want updates to our application?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:09:11 PM)
We just made our Round 2 decisions yesterday. So we do not expect any movement from the WL until those new admits decide on their offer. They have until mid-May, so I don't expect any WL movement until at least mid-May.

digimeece (Apr 7, 2009 12:09:13 PM)
I am unsure what to put as the last day on which I can accept an offer of admission. I am an international student and plan to get my F-1 visa from another school. I would be willing to accept an offer from MIT as late as September 1st but do not know if that would be possible given that my visa would be issued based on an offer from another school. Can you please advise me on what is best to do in this case?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:09:46 PM)
Andrew, there's no deadline.

Nemanja (Apr 7, 2009 12:10:07 PM)
How many candidates have been accepted in Round 2 vs. how many are you looking to enroll?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:10:33 PM)
Digimeece: Realistically international students won't be able to accept our offer past about June 30. It's just too hard to get a visa after that.

Mark (Apr 7, 2009 12:10:37 PM)
What does the waitlist process look like? How many people are on the waitlist and what percent are likely to get in off the waitlist?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:11:01 PM)
Nemanja, we admit half the class in both rounds and we hope to have a final class size of about 325 MBA applicants.

Cham (Apr 7, 2009 12:11:07 PM)
Hi Jennifer, I know MIT welcomes WL candidates to send additional materials-- is there any deadline for submissions?

Linda Abraham (Apr 7, 2009 12:11:48 PM)
A piece of advice from an outsider. Forget about stats. They are not predictive. And at the end of the day you are 100% in or 100% out. Unless that X percent got in will change your behavior, the stats are an irrelevant distraction.

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:12:03 PM)
Mark, I answered this above. The acceptance rate of the waitlist is different each year, so historical #s aren't a good reference. This year we currently have about 125 pp on the WL.

ErsozD (Apr 7, 2009 12:12:11 PM)
Is it a common procedure to get waitlisted without passing through the interview process?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:12:55 PM)
Cham, there's no deadline for additional materials, but the sooner, the better.

Nemanja (Apr 7, 2009 12:12:58 PM)
Do interviewed candidates who have been waitlisted have an advantage over the candidates who have been waitlisted without an interview?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:13:29 PM)
ErosozD - yes, 75% of the people on the WL have not been interviewed. We will have to invite people for interviews before admitting anyone off the WL.

praz (Apr 7, 2009 12:13:41 PM)
Hello Jen! Could you please let us know when we can hear about interviews (if any) for those waitlisted w/o interviews? I was waitlisted in R2 w/o an interview. Thank you.

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:13:51 PM)
Nemanja, not really. Those applicants who have been interviewed are the same as those that have not.

Cham (Apr 7, 2009 12:14:12 PM)
My GMAT, is 690 with verbal below  the 80% percentile. Do you see the value of my retaking the test in the following month?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:14:24 PM)
Praz, if spots in the class become available, we will plan to interview candidates in May and June.

ying (Apr 7, 2009 12:14:26 PM)
Hey Jen, I want to know if we can get any specific feedback about our application from Sloan.

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:14:57 PM)
Cham, most likely increasing your GMAT will not impact our decision to admit you off the WL-- 690 is a great score.

Mr. Waitlist (Apr 7, 2009 12:14:58 PM)
Jen, what is the significance of being waitlisted without an interview?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:15:44 PM)
Ying, at this time we cannot provide feedback to applicants on the WL. The best advice I have is to compose a brief email explaining why you are still interested in MIT, and why you would make a great addition to the class, and send to mbawaitinglist@sloan.mit.edu.

FutureSloanie (Apr 7, 2009 12:15:45 PM)
Hi Jen, thanks for answering our questions. I was waitlisted back at the beginning of March. Does this mean I have a better or worse chance than the multitude that was waitlisted yesterday?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:16:18 PM)
Mr. Waitlist: There's no difference, we had many strong candidates apply this year, and did not have time to interview everyone.

Mark (Apr 7, 2009 12:16:19 PM)
What sorts of additional information is helpful to submit? Recommendations? Letters updating you on what we've been doing since the application deadline?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:16:50 PM)
Futuresloanie: At this point everyone is on the WL together. There's no rank order as to what date you were put on the list.

LS (Apr 7, 2009 12:16:56 PM)
When will you notify waitlisted applicants of your decision?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:17:59 PM)
Mark, it's helpful to hear from you and from members of our community, alums, students, faculty, etc -- anyone who can reference why you would be a great addition to our community here at MIT Sloan. in addition, additional recommendations from work are good too.

SloanWLMA (Apr 7, 2009 12:18:23 PM)
Hi Jen. Not to dwell on GMATs, but mine are highly skewed towards verbal (97% verbal / 65% quant) but my academic coursework and work experience has been quant focused.. Would you suggest re-taking the GMAT if I feel I can do better (I only took once)? Thanks!

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:18:39 PM)
LS, this is an ongoing process. You should have received a link to a survey where we asked you to indicate how long you will remain on the list. if you chose Sept 1st, you may not get a decision until then.

RobS (Apr 7, 2009 12:18:40 PM)
Hi Jennifer - Thank you so much for spending time with us today. I am wondering if you are aware of specific applicant profiles you are expecting to have to fill with the waitlist at this point?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:19:20 PM)
Sloanwlma, if your GMAT score is above a 650, and you have strong professional/academic quantitative work, GMAT is not an issue.

SloanHopeful (Apr 7, 2009 12:19:28 PM)
Now that other schools decisions are out, can we expect more movement on the Sloan waitlist?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:19:45 PM)
Rob S, we just made offers yesterday. So we do not yet know who we may need to pull off the WL.

RS (Apr 7, 2009 12:20:16 PM)
I am wondering how candidates who have been waitlisted without an interview usually fare. Do you first accept those who have been interviewed, and then move to those who have not been interviewed, or is it done in another way?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:20:56 PM)
Sloanhopeful, we don't expect any movement from our WL until at least mid-May.

Parin (Apr 7, 2009 12:21:32 PM)
Can I send any additional information regarding me such as any job progress, current student support letter or additional recommendation that might help me get accepted at MIT Sloan ?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:21:32 PM)
RS- no, we will review the list as a whole, and we will most likely interview more people if we have to pull applicants off the WL.

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:21:54 PM)
Parin, yes, please update us with this information. This is exactly what we are looking for.

Santiago (Apr 7, 2009 12:21:58 PM)
What can I do to increase my chances of moving from the waitlist to the accepted list?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:22:45 PM)
Santiago, at this time, patience is really important. If you feel as though you can add to your application with additional information, we welcome you to do so. Please send all additional information via the mbawaitinglist@sloan.mit.edu email address.

HopefulJoe (Apr 7, 2009 12:22:47 PM)
Jennifer, what are 4 broad areas in your evaluation that might have resulted in a WL decision rather than an Interview or Deny?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:23:30 PM)
Hopeful Joe: I can't specifically answer that. Over-all, we are looking for candidates who have demonstrated success in both academics and professional experiences.

Gurjeev (Apr 7, 2009 12:23:33 PM)
Does the admissions committee look favorably towards waitlist applicants who take courses or professional steps to show their passion towards their post MBA career or MBA education during this waiting period?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:24:28 PM)
Gurjeev -- yes! if you have never taken calculus, microeconomics, or financial accounting, we would strongly urge you to do so before matriculating. And if you do enroll in one of these courses, please let us know.

LS (Apr 7, 2009 12:24:29 PM)
When do you require accepted students to notify you of their final decisions?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:25:14 PM)
 LS, accepted students have until mid-May to decide on their offer. So we do not expect to pull anyone off the WL until then.

Flo (Apr 7, 2009 12:25:15 PM)
What does a great application update look like?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:25:48 PM)
Flo, a great update provides us with new information that is not already in your file.

SloanLover (Apr 7, 2009 12:25:51 PM)
Hi Jennifer: Can we send additional materials to support the application by post in addition to a letter reinforcing my commitment to be part of Sloan? Or would such a move backfire in terms of admissions chances?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:26:25 PM)
Sloanlover, sending this by post is okay, but it's easier for me to manage everything via the email address. But if you mail things hard copy, please send to my attention.

Fahad (Apr 7, 2009 12:26:37 PM)
Since wait-listers are not ranked, on what basis are they chosen for acceptance?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:27:17 PM)
I'd also like to add, that emailing other members of the admissions committee does not really help at this point. All WL communications are sent to me. The best way to stay in touch with us is by using the mbawaitinglist@sloan.mit.edu email address.

Linda Abraham (Apr 7, 2009 12:27:21 PM)
Jen, going back to the second part of SloanLover's questions: Can certain material or quantity of material back fire and actually reduce chances of acceptance?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:29:22 PM)
Thanks Linda! Yes, please only send materials that are relevant to the b-school admission process. We're not interested in photos from your childhood, or recommendation letters from your high school teachers. We are mostly interested in your professional and extra-curricular experiences from the past 3 years. And 2 or 3 updates are enough. We do not need to hear from you every other day.

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:30:19 PM)
Fahad, we admit people from the WL based on those admits who decide not to accept our offer. So this means that we have crafted the class using admits in R1 and R2, and based on those who choose not to come to MIT, we look to pull similar profiles off the WL.

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:31:11 PM)
Cham, we cannot give feedback about why you were put on the WL. But please know that everyone on our WL is potentially admissible. If you were not, you would not be on the WL.

SloanieB (Apr 7, 2009 12:31:17 PM)
I have admits at other top programs, but Sloan is my #1 choice. Is it helpful for the adcom to know this as I will likely have to make a decision prior to mid-May?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:31:50 PM)
SloanieB. We do not need to know about your admits from other programs. In fact, I would STRONGLY encourage you to make other plans in case we cannot admit you to MIT this year.

LS (Apr 7, 2009 12:31:57 PM)
Is there anything else we can do to increase our chances of acceptance between now and mid-May?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:32:39 PM)
Ls, in addition to extra materials, it's important that I know that if I were to offer you a spot in our class, you would accept it.

wler (Apr 7, 2009 12:33:20 PM)
What does it mean to have been waitlisted without an interview? And should we be pursuing interviews with you?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:34:27 PM)
Wler: There is no way to "pursue" an interview. Interviews are by invitation only. Please realize that many of our WL candidates have not been interviewed. I will interview more candidates before accepting anyone from the WL.

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:35:04 PM)
ErsozD - yes, an additional letter (or two) is welcome. It is best to use the same recommendation form as used in the application.

ajit (Apr 7, 2009 12:35:21 PM)
How many people are currently waitlisted without an interview and how many after the interview?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:35:45 PM)
Ajit, I can't give you that exact number, but the majority of people on the WL have not been interviewed.

digimeece (Apr 7, 2009 12:36:01 PM)
What kind of additional materials are most helpful to you? Essays, copies of work projects, etc?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:37:34 PM)
Digimeece, please only submit information that is easy for me to understand and relevant to our process. Additional essays (like one you wrote for another school) are not very helpful. I'm mostly interested in something written by you that specifically addresses your spot on the WL and why you believe you are a good fit with MIT. And, I'm also interested in recommendation letters from professional sources.

Linda Abraham (Apr 7, 2009 12:38:18 PM)
Jen, would you also be interested in achievements and responsibilities assumed since they submitted their application?

ilan (Apr 7, 2009 12:38:38 PM)
I interviewed as an LFM applicant. Do I have to interview again with Sloan to be admitted?

5q submitted, none picked (Apr 7, 2009 12:38:53 PM)
Hi Jennifer, would you please share with us some insight on the waitlist evaluation process?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:39:09 PM)
Thanks Linda, I skipped over the most obvious thing to include! We're very interested in any updates since the time your app was submitted.

wler (Apr 7, 2009 12:39:17 PM)
Should we attempt to contact you to schedule an interview if we will be in the area?

Linda Abraham (Apr 7, 2009 12:39:23 PM)
You're welcome. :-)

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:40:17 PM)
5q: the WL evaluation process is done by me. Once spots in the class become available, I make the decision who to take off the list. As mentioned above, we will need to interview candidates who have not already been interviewed, and these interviews will be with me :-).

ankit (Apr 7, 2009 12:40:53 PM)
Would sending in an additional letter of recommendations from current/ex Sloan students help?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:41:02 PM)
Ankit -- yes!

Fahad (Apr 7, 2009 12:41:06 PM)
How would we be informed about our waitlist decision, would we go back to the same application website for that?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:41:51 PM)
Fahad, decisions will be sent the same as before. If your decision is changed, an email will be sent to you telling you to check your status. But, if you are being admitted off the WL, you'll probably hear from me via phone/email first.

teresa mr (Apr 7, 2009 12:41:53 PM)
Is it possible to get any kind of Financial Aid if you are placed on the Waitlist and then accepted?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:43:04 PM)
Teresa mr, yes. All of our loans from financial aid are still available to anyone admitted to the program. We have a guaranteed loan program with the MIT credit union. But in terms of fellowships, it's unlikely you'll be awarded one, as we have sent out those awards along with our R1 and R2 decisions already.

RobS (Apr 7, 2009 12:43:09 PM)
Jennifer, I assume I know the answer to this question, but are there certain situations where you may consider accepting and deferring a strong applicant from the waitlist if there is no room in the class next year?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:44:12 PM)
Rob S, yes this is a possibility. And typically, this may take place late in the summer. If there are strong candidates on the WL, and they show a committed interest in MIT, and we are not able to admit them because of #s, we may offer a spot in the following year's class.

ankit (Apr 7, 2009 12:44:37 PM)
As you said that international candidates will have to accept their decisions by June 30, does this mean that all international candidates who have accepted to be on the waitlist will receive their decisions by June 30?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:45:00 PM)
Ankit, most likely.

S.Anagnostou (Apr 7, 2009 12:45:04 PM)
Can taking the GMAT more than once greatly affect the decision of who gets off the WL or who gets rejected?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:46:23 PM)
S. Anagnostou - if your GMAT score is below our average, retaking the test and scoring higher can impact our decision. But, if you're score is close to our average (which is about 710), re-taking the test is not a good use of time. We will only see the new score if you tell us about it. So if you re-take and score lower, we won't know.

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:49:15 PM)
Updates should be sent via email using the mbawaitinglist@sloan.mit.edu email address. I personally get everything sent to this list and it's easier for us to track what you send if you use this email address. But things can also be sent via hard copy to my attention:

Jennifer Barba MIT Sloan MBA Admissions
50 Memorial Dr. Suite E52-126
Cambridge MA 02142

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:49:54 PM)
Dsoo, no. We will look at everyone on the list together. The dates are only to help us keep the list current.

SloanWLMA (Apr 7, 2009 12:50:09 PM)
How many additional recommendations are overkill, even if I feel they offer additional perspective? For example, would 1 more from recent work and another outside of work (from a partner invested in an outside business) be too much or dilute the AdComm's attention?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:50:51 PM)
SloanWLMA -- I would say 1-3 is perfect. More than that is usually too much, or not adding much more value.

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:51:46 PM)
If you know alums/current students that can write in on your behalf, that is great. It's okay if they do not know you from professional experiences, and recommendations from volunteer organizations are great too. It can help to have people from the community show support as well. But if you don't know anyone, you should still send in additional information like recommendations and personal updates.

JonathanD (Apr 7, 2009 12:51:48 PM)
Will you be sending out updates when you have a better idea of the class profile and how many R2 offers were accepted? For example, in mid-May after the deposits are due?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:52:24 PM)
JonD, we will update the waitlist website with new information.

digimeece (Apr 7, 2009 12:54:04 PM)
Hi Jen, I have received a substantial scholarship from another school. Is this useful information for MIT to have?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:54:30 PM)
Digimeece, we do not make our decisions based on what other schools have offered you. We do not need this information.

Linda Abraham (Apr 7, 2009 12:54:39 PM)
Jen, is it fair to say that a key quality of a recommender is how well they know the candidate? Knowing Sloan is a bonus. Knowing the candidate is a must.

ABell (Apr 7, 2009 12:54:52 PM)
Dear Jennifer, How much time will waitlisted applicants have after (and if) they receive an admission invite from MIT to make up there mind?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:55:14 PM)
Yes, Linda this is very true. We want letters that add value to your application, they do not need to be from an alumnus.

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:55:28 PM)
Abell, not much time. Maybe a few days.

inDC (Apr 7, 2009 12:55:39 PM)
Hi Jennifer, thanks for hosting this chat-- it's been helpful already. Is it at all possible that anyone on the WL would be issued a merit scholarship? Part of deciding if I can stay on the waitlist has to do with financing the degree, and although Sloan is definitely the best fit for me, I may opt into another program where I've been offered such a scholarship.

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:56:17 PM)
Hopeful Joe, we had an incredibly strong applicant pool this year, so unfortunately we had to WL many candidates with very strong qualifications.

SloanieB (Apr 7, 2009 12:56:26 PM)
I have supplied my supplemental info, re-visited class, and had an alumnus call admissions on my behalf. What other information is useful for the adcom? Is it good to know that I would absolutely accept an offer if given?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:56:55 PM)
InDC, it's unlikely that someone admitted from the WL will be offered a merit award.

6q submitted, 1 picked (Apr 7, 2009 12:56:58 PM)
Do you pick a candidate off the waitlist first and have an interview to confirm he is OK to give him an offer? Or will you have interviewed most people and then evaluate them all together?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:57:41 PM)
SloanieB, looks like you're managing this process beautifully! Yes, it would help for me to know you would accept our offer if one is given.

FutureSloanie (Apr 7, 2009 12:57:42 PM)
Will waitlisted candidates who eventually get accepted miss crucial orientation/networking events?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:58:42 PM)
6Q: Most likely we'll pick a % of people on the WL that may fit the need we have (I.e. international vs. U.S.) and interview them all, then decide which of those interviewed is the best fit.

Joe (Apr 7, 2009 12:58:50 PM)
The waitlist website mentions that you will be posting updates regarding the waitlist. What kinds of updates can we expect? I kept looking for updates on the deferred website, but did not see any.

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:59:16 PM)
Future Sloanie: WL admits will not miss much. Orientation begins the last week of August. We plan to have a full class by then :-).

RobS (Apr 7, 2009 12:59:19 PM)
Jennifer, you mentioned that you pull people from the waitlist as you hear decisions from the R1 and R2 accept list. Do you move to the waitlist one-by-one? Or do you wait to do one wave of interviews and waitlist accepts?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 12:59:47 PM)
Joe, we will post updates if there are updates to be added. We may add: Good news, we're going to the WL.

digimeece (Apr 7, 2009 12:59:53 PM)
I have many personal contacts in the MIT community outside of Sloan. Would you find their recommendation of my candidacy compelling, or are you just looking for Sloan recommendations?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 1:00:43 PM)
Rob S, There's really no rules with the WL. Sometimes we review candidates 1 by 1, sometimes in a group.

Bharatwaj Ramakrishnan (Apr 7, 2009 1:00:47 PM)
Continuing with the profile question for selecting replacement candidates from the WL - Would permanent residency be considered part of international or US candidates?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 1:01:24 PM)
Digimeece: I find any references compelling that add value to your application.

6q submitted, 2 picked (Apr 7, 2009 1:01:28 PM)
Follow up on Teresa's question, is prior professional experience an important factor? For example, if I'm an international engineering background candidate, is the only chance I have if somebody with same international and engineering background rejected the offer?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 1:01:51 PM)
Bharat: Permanent residents are considered in our US candidates.

Enzo (Apr 7, 2009 1:01:54 PM)
Hello there. Can you please confirm if the recommendations from professors are acceptable and encouraged? I thought this was a big no-no. :-)

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 1:03:09 PM)
6 Q - not necessarily. It's not that specific. Overall we're looking for a diverse class, and as mentioned above, we've crafted the diversity of the class with the people we've already admitted. We hope to keep the class as diverse, but also will pull the strongest applicants off the WL.

S.Anagnostou (Apr 7, 2009 1:03:34 PM)
Will the potential interviewees need to come to US? Or will there be an option for interviews with alumni at this stage too?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 1:04:13 PM)
Enzo, typically letters from professors are not as useful as those from someone who has worked with you in a professional capacity. They just don't usually add much value to the application. But you can submit them if you feel they are a good representation of your experiences.

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 1:05:05 PM)
S. Anagnostou, we do not use alumni interviews. If interviews are needed, most likely you'll be invited to interview with me in person here on campus. But if you are very far away, we might be able to do a phone interview instead.

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 1:05:57 PM)
WLer, the date you choose is irrelevant to when you get a decision. But I can tell you that the longer you are willing to wait, the higher your chances are of being admitted. Most people drop off in June/July.

MITwaitlister (Apr 7, 2009 1:06:04 PM)
How should we proceed if we would like remove ourselves from the waitlist? What particular information, if any, do you need or would you find helpful?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 1:06:41 PM)
MITwaitlister, you just need to either send an email to mbawaitinglist@sloan.mit.edu or reply "no" to the WL survey on the WL website you received access to via your decision letter.

Joe (Apr 7, 2009 1:06:44 PM)
What advice do you have for people who do not get in off the WL but are interested in re-applying for next year? Will it be possible to get any feedback on our applications?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 1:07:29 PM)
Joe, the answer is maybe :-). If you are on the WL until the very end, and we cannot make you an offer, I can probably give you some advice for next year.

George (Apr 7, 2009 1:07:32 PM)
How does being on the waitlist affect our chances if we decide to reapply in the fall?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 1:08:04 PM)
George, we admit a lot of re-applicants each year. It can only help.

ankit (Apr 7, 2009 1:08:06 PM)
If one gets admitted off the waitlist, then can one ask to defer the admission by a year?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 1:08:14 PM)
Ankit, no.

Joe (Apr 7, 2009 1:08:54 PM)
Is it helpful to get input from MIT undergrad alumni, or just Sloan alumni?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 1:09:54 PM)
I would like to add, that contacting other members of our staff is not a good use of time. specifically emailing Rod Garcia directly. It's best to communicate with us via the mbawaitinglist@sloan.mit.edu email address. :-)

SloanLover (Apr 7, 2009 1:09:56 PM)
Jennifer, are there any resources on the MIT website to help us get in touch with alumni in my area (a network search for example)?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 1:10:11 PM)
Joe, input from people who know you best is what we are looking for.

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 1:10:52 PM)
Sloanlover, there are alumni clubs in all the major cities. Our website can give you more information.

Alvaro (Apr 7, 2009 1:11:05 PM)
Hi, do you consider sending additional information a way to show interest? Do you prefer someone who is constantly sending information over someone who has little contact, but a stronger initial application?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 1:11:22 PM)
Gurjeev,  I've been reading updates all day. My inbox is already full, so I do not wait, I read them as they come in.

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 1:11:59 PM)
Alvaro, there is a balance. I do not want updates every day/week, but every few weeks/1x a month is perfect.

Brad Johnson (Apr 7, 2009 1:12:02 PM)
Hello Jennifer, other than inundating you with too many updates that don’t add much value to our application, are there any other suggestions of “what not to do” during this process that you would like to share with us? Thanks!

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 1:13:07 PM)
WLer, If you visit campus and I'm here, then I'm happy to answer your questions. But I will not schedule meetings.

JonathanD (Apr 7, 2009 1:14:10 PM)
If we have already attended the Ambassadors program once, is it beneficial to visit the school again?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 1:15:25 PM)
Brad, it's important to try to put your self in my shoes. I have 75-150 WL applicants eagerly awaiting a decision and I review all updates sent in. It's really important to send in valuable information, which relates specifically to your acceptance to b-school. Calling every day, visiting once a week, or sending emails several times a week, are all "too much".

waitlist-hopeful (Apr 7, 2009 1:15:30 PM)
In cases where students make a backup plan, does MIT look unfavorably on walking away from an acceptance at another program to join MIT? While it's not ideal to break a commitment, it seems unavoidable for waitlist candidates who are offered seats late in the season.

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 1:16:07 PM)
Jon D, you can visit if you feel it can add value to an update you might send to me, but it is not necessary.

SloanLover (Apr 7, 2009 1:16:11 PM)
Jennifer: Does stressing the fact that I have lived in many countries and am multilingual add to my application? Or will it not be of much use to the Admissions Committee?

7q submitted, 3 picked (Apr 7, 2009 1:16:26 PM)
Jennifer, is the evaluation process of waitlisters (who to take off) done solely by you? Or is it by the same committee (I assume) who put us on the waitlist? Thanks!

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 1:16:46 PM)
Waitlist hopeful, it is unavoidable. This happens all the time. I encourage you to make other plans, there are no guarantees with this process.

ying (Apr 7, 2009 1:16:47 PM)
Hey Jennifer, how about international applicants working in the U.S. under working visa? I guess these belong to the international pool, right?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 1:17:03 PM)
Sloanlover, sure, that is important information.

Bharatwaj Ramakrishnan (Apr 7, 2009 1:17:10 PM)
Last year Pre-term was from August 18th-22nd. I have heard September 1st in a few places. Can candidates be admitted even if it means they will not attend pre-term?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 1:17:35 PM)
Ying, international vs. U.S. is defined by country of citizenship. But those with a green card (permanent resident) are considered U.S.

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 1:17:45 PM)
Bharatwaj, yes.

Borja (Apr 7, 2009 1:17:47 PM)
Do we, international waitlisted candidates, have a disadvantage because of the visa issue and the timing? You mentioned the 30th of June as an approximate deadline, as the deadline for international applicants.

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 1:18:51 PM)
Borja, for international students, it's unlikely you'll be able to get a visa to come here if you begin the process after June 30th. So we try to get all international WL candidates a decision in early summer. U.S. applicants could be admitted up until Sept. 1st.

REhopeful (Apr 7, 2009 1:18:53 PM)
Can you speak about the strength of the applicant pool this year as compared to years past? Was there a noticeable difference?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 1:19:29 PM)
Rehopeful, this year's applicant pool was the strongest we've ever seen, and we received a record number of applications.

Linda Abraham (Apr 7, 2009 1:19:37 PM)
Any last minute words of advice?

Jennifer Barba (MIT) (Apr 7, 2009 1:21:53 PM)
Sure, my advice is to realize that this is not a quick process. I know there is a lot of uncertainty out there, and we need your patience. Please get in touch with me if you have questions, or would like to provide updates. I welcome additional information, specifically updates on your professional accomplishments and letters of recommendation that can highlight things that were not included in your initial application. And thank you for your commitment to MIT Sloan. We hope to use the WL this year, and I look forward to getting to know all of you better throughout this process.